WWII German Master Searchlights - Blue?

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

I’m trying to glean some definitive information on the veracity of the frequently reported statement – in many memoirs and recorded documents – that German, Wurzburg controlled, ‘Master Searchlights’ were blue in colour.

Whereas I don’t doubt those statements from those that ‘were there’, I have formed the idea that bomber crews unfortunate enough to be picked up by the Master Searchlight believed it to be blue because it was the first ‘light to illuminate them, thereby destroying their night-vision and in that near instantaneous transition the extremely bright (white) light was perceived as having a blue hue to it; a similar perception as obtained when ‘laundry blue’ was added to a ‘whites wash’ in days gone by.

All the internet research I’ve done tends to regurgitate the Wikipedia entry on the subject or repeat the crews’ anecdotes of the time. So, were Master Searchlights blue in colour? Are there any definitive sources of information?

[rugmuncher]

Carbon arc searchlights give off a slight blue hue .

[India Four Two]

I vaguely remember R. V. Jones discussing this topic in his wonderful book "Most Secret War". I think he dismissed the idea of blue master searchlights.

[treadigraph]

In the 1970 novel Bomber by Len Deighton he mentions aircrew's belief of blue master search lights and dismisses it as a misapprehension - I seem to recall the book was well researched and considered a highly accurate account of a raid on Germany.

[FlightlessParrot]

My recollection of an account from long ago is that the radar-controlled seachlights were more likely to be pointing directly at the aircraft, and that this would affect the perceived colour.

I read this historical time ago, and have no idea if there's any truth in it, but at least it preserves both the perception of those who were there and the facts about searchlight construction.

[rolling20]

Aircrew were a superstitious lot and also believed what they were told to an extent.
Scarecrow flares (that the Germans were supposed to be firing) , being one of the myths that was perpetuated at the time, which were in essence bombers being blown apart.

[EXDAC]

In the 1970 novel Bomber by Len Deighton he mentions aircrew's belief of blue master search lights and dismisses it as a misapprehension - I seem to recall the book was well researched and considered a highly accurate account of a raid on Germany.

It's a long time since I read the book but I remember "geodesic" being used to describe the fuselage construction of the Lancaster. That made me doubt the technical accuracy of everything else.

[lederhosen]

Fascinating thread about something I have given little thought, but where the Internet almost instantly provides interesting insights. The German defense against bombers included a very large number of searchlights placed strategically on the approach to likely targets. Over time they improved the system and increased the power and guidance.

[treadigraph]

It's a long time since I read the book but I remember "geodesic" being used to describe the fuselage construction of the Lancaster. That made me doubt the technical accuracy of everything else.
Quite a long while since I read it and I can't recall that description, so I've hoicked it off the bookshelf for a reread in a few days (when I've finished "So I Bought an Air Force"!).

[Prangster]

I’m trying to glean some definitive information on the veracity of the frequently reported statement – in many memoirs and recorded documents – that German, Wurzburg controlled, ‘Master Searchlights’ were blue in colour.

Whereas I don’t doubt those statements from those that ‘were there’, I have formed the idea that bomber crews unfortunate enough to be picked up by the Master Searchlight believed it to be blue because it was the first ‘light to illuminate them, thereby destroying their night-vision and in that near instantaneous transition the extremely bright (white) light was perceived as having a blue hue to it; a similar perception as obtained when ‘laundry blue’ was added to a ‘whites wash’ in days gone by.

All the internet research I’ve done tends to regurgitate the Wikipedia entry on the subject or repeat the crews’ anecdotes of the time. So, were Master Searchlights blue in colour? Are there any definitive sources of information?
You might try Professor R V Jones's seminal Most Secret War where he discusses the subject of German searchlight control at some length. Particularly how our scientific intelligence slowly unravelled the workings of what the then, Dr jones named the Kamhuber Line. As you say crew's were oft convinced it was the case. My stepfather amongst them. He vividly recalled his 7 Squadron Stirling running in on Brest to attack what he always called Salmon and Gluckstein.. As the WOP he'd been ordered forward as an extra pair of eyes and was adamant that, 'a distinct blue master light standing vertically suddenly swung and caught us full beam'. within seconds they were coned and being plastered. They made it back to Oakington but only just, with the Stirling being held together by a combination of 'spit and prayer' After that episode he always retained a great deal of affection for the Stirling and its ability to soak up flak.

[Noyade]

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/500x754/scan1482_05605932e484c7f38f6077e28987c9ad5825e1f0.jpg

[treadigraph]

It's a long time since I read the book but I remember "geodesic" being used to describe the fuselage construction of the Lancaster. That made me doubt the technical accuracy of everything else.
Just finished reading it and didn't spot "geodesic" though as I tend to read in shortish bursts I may have missed the odd passage here and there.

[Asturias56]

"It's a long time since I read the book but I remember "geodesic" being used to describe the fuselage construction of the Lancaster."

IIRC Geodesic was the syatem used by Barnes Wallis on the Wellington etc - the Manchester and Lancaster were just normal constriction techniques

[DHfan]

...what he always called Salmon and Gluckstein.

I believe Salmon and Gluckstein were the official code names for Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.

[DHfan]

IIRC, the Wellington construction was described as geodetic. I'm fairly sure I've heard the term geodesic applied to the domes at the Eden Project.

Whether there's a difference and if so, what it is, I haven't got a clue.

[Discorde]

I've run a search on my Kindle edition of Len Deighton's 'Bomber' and there are no references to 'geodetic' (or 'geodesic', which refers to a different characteristic).

I think the best two books describing the waste, absurdities and poor judgements of people in authority during war are 'Bomber' for a serious take and 'Catch-22' for a humorous ditto.

[EXDAC]

I've run a search on my Kindle edition of Len Deighton's 'Bomber' and there are no references to 'geodetic' (or 'geodesic', which refers to a different characteristic).

It could be a false memory and I don't have the print book to check. I suppose it's possible that the error was in an early edition of the print book and was removed in later print and non-print editions.

I remember it jumped out at me at the time as I knew that, unlike the Wellington, the Lancaster was rib and stringer construction.

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

Thanks for the responses, chaps. Nonetheless, the quest for a definitive source to confirm/deny the query remains. However, I feel obliged to address the responses thus far:

Carbon arc searchlights give off a slight blue hue .

Indeed, that fact was already known and partly informed my query and theory; was this blue hue present in all searchlights leading to crews believing that the first light to illuminate them was a ‘Master Searchlight’, which - by inference – was a trait of all ‘Master Searchlights’, when, in fact, it was a common feature?

I vaguely remember R. V. Jones discussing this topic in his wonderful book "Most Secret War". I think he dismissed the idea of blue master searchlights.

This response stirred me into digging out my copy and looking up all the Searchlight references; I’d forgotten that RVJ covered the issue. I haven’t yet found any section where he dismisses the concept of blue master searchlights but concentrates on the intelligence analysis to determine the modus operandi of the searchlight Main Belt. This concluded that a Wűrzburg radar controlled one 200 cm ‘Master’ searchlight with three 150 cm searchlights as ‘slaves’. The 200 cm searchlight was deployed at the centre of a triangle formed by the 150 cm searchlights. The smaller searchlights were deployed at a distance of about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) from the larger central master searchlight. The master searchlight would find the target, and the 150 cm lights would cone the target, providing solid triangulation. These ‘triplets’ (actually quadruplets) were deployed in advance of the Kammhuber Line that would pick up individual targets that would then be transferred to non-radar-directed searchlight layouts within the Kammhuber Line proper. But again, there is no reference to the master searchlights being blue in colour/hue.

In the 1970 novel Bomber by Len Deighton he mentions aircrew's belief of blue master search lights and dismisses it as a misapprehension - I seem to recall the book was well researched and considered a highly accurate account of a raid on Germany.

‘Bomber’ is one of my favourite books too; the point you made about the misapprehension of blue master searchlights is partly what has begat my query, when there are many anecdotal accounts of blue master searchlights; but then again, the same thing could be said of ‘scarecrow shells’ and we now know these were a figment on the Intelligence Branches’ imagination. However, despite being a cracking ‘read’, it is a novel and no-matter how well researched, can’t really be used as an authoritative reference.

(continued)

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

Pt 2

My recollection of an account from long ago is that the radar-controlled seachlights were more likely to be pointing directly at the aircraft, and that this would affect the perceived colour.

I read this historical time ago, and have no idea if there's any truth in it, but at least it preserves both the perception of those who were there and the facts about searchlight construction.

Precisely.

Aircrew were a superstitious lot and also believed what they were told to an extent.
Scarecrow flares (that the Germans were supposed to be firing) , being one of the myths that was perpetuated at the time, which were in essence bombers being blown apart.

Agreed, see response to Treadi’s input above. Furthermore, crews were also convinced that their IFF transmissions jammed the control systems of the searchlights when nothing could have further from the truth! Indeed, inappropriate use of IFF provided all the early warning and precise interception assistance that a defending force could wish for.

You might try Professor R V Jones's seminal Most Secret War where he discusses the subject of German searchlight control at some length. Particularly how our scientific intelligence slowly unravelled the workings of what the then, Dr jones named the Kamhuber Line. As you say crew's were oft convinced it was the case. My stepfather amongst them. He vividly recalled his 7 Squadron Stirling running in on Brest to attack what he always called Salmon and Gluckstein.. As the WOP he'd been ordered forward as an extra pair of eyes and was adamant that, 'a distinct blue master light standing vertically suddenly swung and caught us full beam'. within seconds they were coned and being plastered. They made it back to Oakington but only just, with the Stirling being held together by a combination of 'spit and prayer' After that episode he always retained a great deal of affection for the Stirling and its ability to soak up flak.

Your stepfather’s recollection exactly replicates numerous reports made at the time. Many of these reports specify that the ‘blue’ master searchlight stood motionless pointing vertically upwards while it’s ‘slaves’ quartered the sky presumably looking for targets of opportunity; the master searchlight would then (under its Wűrzburg guidance) unerringly lock onto a victim, to which the slaves would then latch onto.

Noyade – is that the real book cover or have you photoshopped it? What ever the case, I’m sure that any blue colour would not have been that dense!

So, I’m still no further forward in obtaining an answer as yet, but want to thank the contributors thus far for their comments.

[sycamore]

D-M-L,Have you tried any ROC associations for info,on the basis ,`if they`ve got it,we might/should try it`....?

[Sue Vêtements]

bviously the searchlights would be pretty well defended, but they also did make excellent and obvious targets. Were there ever any low level strikes combined with the bomber streams to locate and destroy the searchlights?

[Noyade]

is that the real book cover or have you photoshopped it?

Real book and cover, in fact a very fascinating read - with just a hint of colour tweaking. :)

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

D-M-L,Have you tried any ROC associations for info,on the basis ,`if they`ve got it,we might/should try it`....?

Sorry, ROC in this context????

[DHfan]

Royal Observer Corps is all I know or can think of.

[PAXboy]

My father was in Night Fighters and fortunate not to be caught up in a search light, so I cannot help on that point.

However, from his own experience of night operations and of his many colleagues and friends in heavies, he said that 'Bomber' was very true to their experience.